The Promise
by GenvieveWoolf
Summary: L can't decide who is his number one. Who should succeed him? Contains Mello chagrin, Matt angst and Near insight. :p


_My first Death Note fan fic. Please be kind._

_For those of you awaiting work on Riddle's Legacy and The Journey Home, I assure you I have not forgotten them and I fully intend to finish them. But Life's been crazy--I moved out of my parents' house for the first time and to another state far, far away, and I'm still figuring life out. Right now, one-shots are about all I can manage._

**Disclaimer:** I obviously don't own DN or the characters, etc. or I wouldn't waste my time writing fanfic. I do however own the ideas for the two video games "Naoko Saito" and "Kaji Ryu." I confess I have not read the manga, only watched the anime and movies, so my knowledge may be lacking.

The Promise

by GenvieveWoolf

It had been several months since L visited Wammy House. Various cases had kept him busy. But now he was between cases, and he and Watari could return "home" for a few days.

Many of the children recognized L and bowed to him as he passed, but some were too new or too young to understand what this visitor meant to them.

L bowed in return to the children who bowed to him, and he smiled at all of them. But his mind was on a few of his students in particular. Especially two of them.

The last time he had seen them, Mello was L's tentative choice as his future replacement. But Near was showing so much rapid progress--he might be in the running now.

Then there was Matt. L never ruled out any possibility until it was proven impossible, but though Matt was brilliant in his own way, he lacked the vision of the other two. And he seemed a bit lazy. L hoped that this visit would give him a lot more direction.

Once his few belongings were stowed in his room, L set out to find Mello.

"He's in his Criminal Justice class," Roger told L when he asked. "Room 128."

L thanked him and walked briskly through the familiar halls to the classroom. He stopped in the doorway, and when the teacher acknowledged him, he said, "Mello?"

The teacher nodded to the orange-haired boy near the front of the class.

Mello sprang from his seat and hurried to join L outside the classroom. "L-san," he said, bowing.

L inclined his head in return. "Mello-kun. It's good to see you. What are you learning now?"

"How to process information," Mello said, sounding a bit bored. "Which I already know how to do. I have next month's project almost done already."

"I'd like to see it," L said, leading the way toward Mello's room.

"Of course. We're supposed to take data reported by the media and find related cases. Patterns the police have missed."

"And what is your strategy?"

"Since we're looking for overlooked information, I'm starting with small news. Looking a lot further than the front page, and reading little-known publications."

L nodded. "But it's a lot of ground to cover."

"I've categorized my research. Each type of case goes into a certain category, like all the murders go together, all the armed robberies. Then I cross-categorize them with MO factors like weapons involved, location choices, etc."

"Impressive. But complicated."

Mello frowned. "I'm just trying to be as thorough as I can."

"Sometimes simplicity saves mistakes. What have you done with the front-page news?"

"Well... I keep up on it, and I file that away, too, but the headliners are the things the police are paying the most attention to. I'm supposed to find things they've missed."

"Supposing what they've missed is a connection between one of their most wanted and one of your obscure incidents?" L suggested.

"Then... I could be in for a bad grade after all," Mello admitted.

When Mello handed his project over at his room L told him, "Thank you. I'll look this over and have it back to you by this evening."

"That's a lot of ground to cover," Mello said wryly, eyeing the case of file folders L was holding.

L smiled. "I'm afraid I won't be able to be completely thorough. But I do read almost a thousand words per minute."

Mello's mouth fell open a moment, but he shut it quickly. "I'd better get back to class," he said. "Thank you for seeing me."

"My pleasure," L replied. "I wish I could more often."

***************

Next it was time to see how Near was getting along. L found him in the "Project Shacks," working with dice and dominoes.

"L-san," Near exclaimed when L opened the door.

L took in the sight of Near frozen in place. The boy had one hand poised as if he had been about to destroy the creation in front of him.

"Don't get up," L told him quickly. "What are you doing there? Dissatisfied with your work?"

Near relaxed and his hand dropped to his lap. "It's not that. It's just... I thought you might be Mel-- someone else."

L crouched on the floor beside Near and looked at the intricate combination of dice and dominoes in front of them. It must have taken him over an hour to put together.

"This is for the puzzle contest next spring," Near explained. "We're supposed to build something with a pattern too intricate for the judges to discover until it is pointed out to them. Mello's entering the contest, too."

"Will he also use dice and dominoes?"

"I don't know. I'm not even sure he's started. But he's tried to get a look at my design before."

"That's why you were about to knock it apart?"

"Yes."

Near tugged at a lock of his silver-blonde hair and ran his eyes over the structure in front of him. L knew the gesture was an involuntary one of nervousness. They should break him of that habit. Or change it for a positive one.

L studied Near's work, searching for his pattern. The stacks of slabs and cubes grew and shrunk gradually along the floor like a mountain range. If Near had developed this much of his pattern already, L wondered why he was working so hard months before the contest. He took a domino between his fingers. After a moment, he carefully set it in the midst of Near's unfinished mountain.

Near smiled a little and shook his head. "Very good, teacher, but I haven't gotten to the repeat yet."

L's already wide eyes widened further. "You're still developing your pattern?"

"Yes. If I had that completely done, there wouldn't be much need to practice anymore."

Near certainly could be meticulous, L thought. "Near--how long have you been working on this project?"

"About six weeks."

"Why so long? Does this contest mean a great deal to you?"

Near frowned. "I don't know. I suppose it is important to me. But I needed plenty of time because of the way I'm going about it. You see, I know that M--that some of the others are hoping to get ideas from me. And I can't leave any evidence that might help them cheat. So I can't write down my pattern, and I can't leave it set up. That means I have to memorize it. Each day I start from the beginning and set up each piece as I did the day before. Then I add a new section."

L couldn't remember the last time he'd been so impressed by someone so young. "That must take a good deal of your time," he said at last. "Tell me, why are you so worried about Mello and the others? Do you really think they would cheat?"

Near shrugged, avoiding L's gaze. "I think he... _they..._ want to beat me."

L knew that some of the older children at Wammy House had treated Near badly because he was tested at their level and because he was a "favorite."

"So, you want to beat _them_," L concluded. "Ergo all the precautions."

Near nodded. "I don't really care about the prize," he admitted.

"What is the prize?"

"First place is a nomination for membership in the American Mathematical Society and a visit to their headquarters."

"And that means nothing to you?"

"Little."

L shook his head. Then he placed a hand on Near's shoulder and looked the boy in the eye. "I want you to stop worrying so much about beating Mello," he said seriously. "There is only one person you should compete against. I believe you would say you are striving to better yourself. If that is true, then you are the one you have to beat. Not Mello or anyone else. Seek to outdo yourself and be satisfied with nothing less."

Near stared back at him for a long moment, and L knew that whatever was going on behind those innocent eyes was life-changing. Near was becoming the person he would be for the rest of his life before L's very eyes.

"I will, L-san," he said. "I promise."

*********

At dinnertime, L declined Roger's invitation to eat with him and Watari. He prefered to eat among the students as he had for years as a child. Walking between tables with an overloaded tray, L spotted Mail Jeevas sitting by himself in a corner near the door.

"Matt-kun," L addressed him as he approached. "Are you alone?"

Looking startled, Matt rose to give L a bow before resuming his meal. "Yes... I find I eat faster if I eat alone. But you can join me if you like," he added quickly.

"I would like to," L agreed. he sat across from Matt, pulling his legs up into the chair. "So, why is it important to eat quickly?"

Matt shrugged. "It saves time. More time I could be doing something... like finishing homework or playing a game."

"Don't you like talking with your friends?"

Matt stared at L a moment, chewing. Then he said, "I don't really have any 'friends,' per se. And they're not into what I'm into. So I'd rather just eat quick and have the extra time."

At least he had priorities.

"What are you working on right now?" L asked.

"Air Force Delta II," Matt answered immediately. "I finished twenty missions on the Expert level and decided to try Ace. It's... harder, I guess. More complicated."

L waited a moment, wondering if he should just change the subject. Then he said, "I meant, what are you working on in your studies?"

"Oh. Um... I guess history is my biggest thing. I'm getting crappy grades right now. Er... I mean, I'm not doing well..."

It took a lot of will power to keep from smiling at Matt's flustered expression. "What makes it so difficult for you?" L asked. He supposed it was hard for Matt to memorise historical facts for the usual reason--the past never seemed very important to a young person who was caught up in the present.

"I have a lot of trouble with dates," Matt confessed. "I can remember that the lords forced King John to sign the Magna Carta, but I can't remember when. And I remember that he murdered his nephew and all kinds of other... stuff. But no dates."

"You can't remember 1215?" L asked, unable to hide his surprise.

Matt turned pink. "I know; it should be easy. But I get so confused at test times. I can't remember if it's 1512 or 1215 or 1251, or..." he sighed. "I'm supposedly over my dyslexia, so Roger won't listen to any excuses..."

_I am away too much,_ L chided himself. He had forgotten all about Matt's dyslexia. They had discovered it while he was away, and it hadn't come up much. He remembered that they had given Matt special teachers to help with it, but he hadn't heard about his progress since then.

"Excuses spare you some difficulty, but they don't help you learn," L said gently.

"I know. I don't like making excuses. And I want to learn. I just... don't think I can."

L chewd a mouthful of rice thoughtfully. Then he glanced down and saw that Matt was nearly done eating.

"May I walk to your room with you?" L said. "I have an idea that may help you."

**********

"What is this game?" L asked, standing by Matt in his room back at the dormitory.

"Naoko Saito? It's about a guy whose father was a Samurai that was killed because of a betrayal. He hunts down the members of the conspiracy that had his father killed, and along the way you discover their plot for world domination."

Matt had rattled off the summary without hesitation. He obviously knew the game well.

"Have you gotten to the twelfth level?" L inquired.

"Yes... why?"

"Tell me what level twelve is about."

"You have to get the jewelled dagger that killed Naoko's father. It's a vital piece of evidence against them, and it helps you find members of the conspiracy."

"And have you reached level fifteen?"

"Yes." Matt looked puzzled as he explained, "That's the level where you team up with the vigilantes. You have to fight them first to prove your worthiness. Then they agree to give Yamamoto, one of the villains, their version of a death warrant. And sixteen is where they help you capture Yamamoto."

"All right," L said, setting the game aside. "The next time you have a history test, I want you to think of it as a code. John is Naoko Saito. This means that all facts you have to remember about John will be related to this avenger game of yours. If you need to remember the date the Magna Carta was signed, think to yourself that it involved royalty and an official document. Royalty means the symbol of a jewelled dagger, which you know comes from which level?"

"Twelve," Matt replied.

"And the official document means the death warrant you mentioned from level...?"

"Fifteen."

"And now you have the date that the Magna Carta was signed."

Matt's eyes were wide with amazement. "Great Escape!" he exclaimed. "That might really work!"

"Do you think you will remember?"

"John is Naoko. The Magna Carta is a royal document--level twelve and level fifteen! Arigatou--" Matt caught himself. "I mean thank you!" The Japanese students who had taken English classes were expected to speak in English as much as possible to maintain what they had learned. "Thank you so much! I think I'll pass history after all."

Matt sighed and looked as if the truth of his own words was only just occuring to him. L thought his eyes looked more bright than usual.

"I'm glad I could help," L said hurriedly. "Now, I need to get Mello's project back to him--I may be able to come by again later."

Matt nodded silently and L quickly left the room. He knew somehow that history had been worrying Matt far more than he had let on to anyone. Now that the worry had been relieved, his mood had changed so drastically that it created a hormonal imbalance. The kind that was most easily relieved by shedding certain chemicals through tears. And tears are not usually something one shares with one's mentor.

***********

Mello took back his project and asked L, "Did you get to read much of it? It still needs work, I know..."

"Yes, I think you've done very well," L told him. "You have some promising theories in there, but don't forget what I told you earlier."

"I've already begun looking for links in the new data I've gained since we spoke about it."

L smiled. "Excellent. I hope I'll get to see your progress before I have to leave again."

"I would like that, thank you. Good night, L-San."

"Good night, Mello-kun."

L went to Near's room then and found it empty. On a hunch, he went back to the Project Shacks. Sure enough, Near was where he had left him.

"Near-kun, it's very close to curfew," L warned.

Near looked at the wall clock and sighed. "Yes, teacher. I really wanted to get this next section done, but..." He dropped a die and watched it roll across the floor to land number-three-up. "Oh, well. I'll clean up now." He stood and stretched, wincing in obvious pain from sitting in the same position for so long.

"Let me help you," L offered, fetching the dice bin.

"Thank you, but this is my mess, L-san," Near said with a small smile. "I'll get it cleaned up in time."

"Perhaps," L said, "but it is all right to have help sometimes, even from a mentor. And I have some time to spare."

Near's smile grew. "All right, then. Thank you. I haven't stopped thinking about what you told me," he said, scooping a handful of dice into the bin. "I do want to better myself. And I want to work on each thing so that I know I have done my best each time. Then it won't matter if Mello beats me. I'll know I couldn't have done better."

The words were too wonderful for L to hear. It took some people their whole lives to grasp this idea. "I am proud of you," he said quietly.

"We are all proud of you," Near replied.

**************

On his way back to his room, L passed Matt's door. He paused in the hallway and glanced at his watch. Curfew was a few minutes ago now, but he was sure Matt would still be awake. He knocked softly on the door and entered when he heard Matt's voice answer him.

"Sorry I didn't get back sooner," L said.

"That's all right--I've started memorizing dates already," Matt said excitedly. "It's kind of fun!" He reached for a paper on his bedside table and handed it to L. "Ask me one."

L took the paper and glanced down the list. "When was the Battle of Hastings?"

Matt grinned. "That's one of my favorites. Ten sixty-six. I remember English battles with the game Kaji Ryu. Level ten has a section where you have to fight a group of sorcerers, so that's how I remember the battle part. And level six is a short bridge between five and seven, where you have to fly from your cave to the mountain stronghold. since it's such a short level I think of it being double-quick. 'Hasting' means 'hurrying,' and there are two sixes."

Using a mnemonic device was a tried and true way to remember obscure information, but L was impressed with Matt's quick application of it. "Well done," he said. "Very well done. I can't wait to ask Roger about your progress next time I'm here."

"I'd still be hopeless if it weren't for you," Matt said quietly. "Thank you for helping me." He stifled a yawn.

"You're welcome," L said in a soft tone. "I am excited for you, Matt-kun. You are well on your way."

Matt didn't answer, and L saw that the boy had nodded off.

"Good night." L gave Matt's head a gentle pat and silently let himself out of the room.

*************

When L was ready to leave the next week, Roger asked him, "Have you made a decision about your successor?"

"No," L said. "I still think it's a bit early to tell. I almost had my mind made up, but then..." He smiled. "Then I talked with them all."

"Well, they're young yet," Roger said. "Good luck with your new case--do you think this Kira is as dangerous as they're saying?"

About to open the office door, L looked back at Roger. "If he isn't, I'll be sorely disappointed."

He walked to the car waiting to take him to the airport. There was so much to think about. Near was ready for any mental task. But he probably needed to build a little more confidence first. Mello had all the determination and thoroughness needed to make a good detective. But he was impulsive yet.

And Matt... Matt had always been one of their better students, but never one of the very top. Perhaps that was about to change. A new world had opened for him. As far as developed skills went, Near and Mello were well ahead of their peers. But considering potential--Matt might well have posessed the greatest promise of all.

*************

Please let me know if you liked my first DN fanfic!


End file.
